The flight to New York and on
to London went without a hitch. The next morning around nine Lydia was
at Heathrow, waiting for a taxi to take her to her mother’s apartment.
Her polite little buzz at the door was
quickly answered by a uniformed maid.
“Miss Willoughby? Please come in. If
you’ll leave your luggage here, I’ll put it into your room. Mrs.
Willoughby is at the hairdresser’s, but I was to advise you she’d be
back any time now. Through here, please, Miss Willoughby. This is the
drawing- room.”
The maid stood aside and
gestured to the room. Lydia thanked her and walked in. She looked
around with pleasure. This was indeed a charming apartment. Glass
doors were flanked by tall windows, giving a wonderful view of the
Thames.
At that moment, a man entered
the room from the balcony. He was faultlessly dressed in a dark
business suit. Lydia could understand why her mother spent every
available moment with him. He was, quite simply, gorgeous. Very tall,
long-legged, elegant, with that rangy, loose-limbed build that made
women’s mouths go dry — including her own, she had to admit. Another
quick glance at his face confirmed her initial impression that he was
the handsomest man she had ever seen. Blue-black hair, neatly styled,
winged black eyebrows over eyes as dark as onyx, half-hidden by long,
thick, curved lashes. A patrician nose and a beautifully sculpted
mouth, which seemed to begin a little smile for her.
Suddenly deeply upset that this
man evidently had no trouble at all insinuating himself into her
mother’s affections, she lit into him.
“You should be ashamed of yourself,
playing gigolo to my mother. She’s very vulnerable right now; my
father died only eight months ago. If you had any decent feelings at
all, you’d let my mother down gently, and get out of her life. Can’t
you invent a sick aunt or a dying grandfather in Greece? My mother said
you’re twenty-nine. Well, you look older, probably due to the dissolute
life you lead, going from one vulnerable, middle-aged lady to another—
Look, if you need money, I’ll pay you any amount you wish as long as you
get out of my mother’s life.” Lydia whipped her chequebook out of her
handbag and looked at the man, her eyes flashing a challenge.
His polite smile had disappeared at the
very beginning of Lydia’s onslaught, and his expression had gone from
quietly indignant to absolutely outraged. Lydia thought, If he’s
trying to up the price with his indignation, he can think again.
The man opened his mouth to reply, but was
interrupted by the arrival of Alicia. She hugged her daughter. “Lydia,
I’m so glad you decided to come.” Glancing at the man, Alicia asked,
“Honey, won’t you please introduce the gentleman with you?”
Lydia glanced at the man, her expression
stricken. She said, haltingly, “Mama, this gentleman isn’t with me. I
thought—” Please God, kill me now.
His manner frigidly polite, his deep voice
glacial, the man said, “My name is Raphael Thalassinos. I am the elder
brother of Jason. I came here to try to persuade him to leave London
and go home to Greece. Our mother is recuperating from an illness.”
Alicia was embarrassed at the visit of
Jason’s elder brother, but also indignant at his implication that Jason
was living with her. She lifted her chin. “I’m Alicia Wiilloughby, and
I want it clearly understood that Jason does not live here. Since you
are his brother, you are no doubt aware he has an apartment of his own
at the Barbican. If you wish to speak to Jason, surely that is the
place to find him. Not here. We go to exhibitions, plays. We meet for
lunch, dinner. We are friends! What made you think—?” Alicia’s
voice stilled. It was clear that she was deeply offended.
“But Mama, you told me you were
buying suits for Jason in Savile Row, and looking at a Jaguar—”
“Good gracious, Lydia, you
didn’t think I was buying him these suits? Of course not. Jason
paid for his suits, and for the Jaguar.”
Lydia had gone very pale. She
dared not look at Jason’s brother. Her long lashes veiling her eyes,
she said hesitantly to him, “I’m so very sorry. I’ve made a dreadful
mistake—” She ventured a covert glance at him, and opened her mouth to
apologize further, but she did not get farther than repeating, “I’m so
very sorry—”
At the same moment, Raphael
began to speak. She thought that, in different circumstances, his deep
voice could be caressing as velvet, but right now it was frigid and
aloof. His facial expression remote, he addressed himself pointedly to
Alicia. “Mrs. Willoughby, I am sorry if I upset you with my mistaken
assumption that my brother was living here with you. Forgive me.” He
inclined his dark head in a stiff nod, turned on his heel and left the
room.
Alicia and Lydia stared at each
other in dismay. Briskly, Alicia said, “Jason is due to pick me up here
at twelve-thirty. I could telephone and ask him if he’s willing to
invite you to lunch as well—”
“Please don’t, Mama. I think
I’ve done enough damage to the frères
Thalassinos for this century. Hey, I wonder if they’re related to my
friend Nadine’s husband, Nick Thalassinos?”
“I’ll ask Jason,” said Alicia
indifferently. “Are you sure you don’t want me to ask Jason to invite
you, too?”
“Positive, Mama. I’m half dead
from the flight, and had breakfast on the plane, so I couldn’t eat the
tiniest bite. What I do need is a nice long nap. All right, Mama?”
“Of course, Lydia. By the way,
how long are you staying? I hope this doesn’t sound inhospitable, but
I’ve got rather a busy social life here, and I hate having to refuse or
cancel invitations, you know what I mean.”
“Sure, Mama.” Thinking
quickly, Lydia invented, “Actually, I’m on my way to Milan, to see the
ready-to-wear couture
people. I decided to stop over in London just for
. I thought
Sunday you probably wouldn’t be busy. But it appears that you are. No
matter. We’ll talk after lunch.”
“Well, actually, after lunch
I’m invited to Jason’s apartment, he has a new DVD he wants me to watch
with him, before we go out to dinner.”
“Of course, Mama. We’ll talk
tonight, when Jason brings you back, after dinner.”
“Sure, honey. And ask Megan to make
dinner, she’s a reasonably good cook.”
“No, thanks, Mama. I’ll do a
little exploring in the neighbourhood; perhaps I’ll find a pub or small
restaurant. You have a good time, Mama. If you don’t mind, I won’t
wait to meet Jason, I’m so very tired.”
Lydia wasn’t tired at all, but
she couldn’t bear to meet another Thalassinos after what she had done to
Raphael.
Want To Read More?
Buy it NOW! And Get Your Copy In The Next 2 Minutes...
